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As anticipated by IsraCast, the bloody Palestinian infighting between Hamas and Fatah in the Gaza Strip has spilled over into Israel. The Palestinians have launched over 30 Qassam rockets at the Israeli town of Sderot apparently in an attempt to deflect the focus from their internal feud that killed at least 15 Palestinians on Tuesday, May 15th. The rockets are terrorizing the children, women and men. In the initial bombardment, one woman was seriously injured and dozens more were lightly hurt and suffered from shock. While the Israeli government considers what to do, Jewish-Russian philanthropist Arkadi Gaydamak has stepped in with his own private solution.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni presented a wide ranging Briefing on Israel's foreign relations when the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee was opened to the public for the first time. Livni focused on the Arab League initiative which offers full peace in return for a final settlement of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. IsraCast reports that Livni was cautiously optimistic about the Arab League aiding the peace process but it could not substitute for the Palestinians at the conference table. Meanwhile in the Gaza Strip, the Hamas - Fatah bloodbath continues but this has not interfered with the the terrorists launch more Qassam rockets into Israel.

Strong winds of war are again blowing in the Middle East after Hamas launched more than 100 rockets and mortars at Israel from the Gaza Strip. It was the most massive terror attack on Israel since Hamas agreed to a temporary cease-fire in the Gaza Strip. In Jerusalem, Prime Minister Ehud Olmert is consulting with defense officials on how to react.

As Israel's Independence Day draws near, the Jewish state faces a range of evolving prospects and dangers. At the same time, if Prime minister Ehud Olmert survives the Winograd Commission into the Second Lebanon War, he will have likely have new defense and finance ministers at his side. IsraCast analyzes the current situation and the domestic political scene and possibly some dramatic changes.

Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert has denied foreign reports that Israel will attack Syria during a U.S. military operation against Iran's nuclear facilities this summer. Briefing the Knesset's Foreign Affairs & & Defense Committee, the Israeli leader said there was no truth to the rumors - Israel had no intention of attacking Syria.

Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and his top advisors have been consulting on the list of hundreds of security prisoners that the Palestinians are demanding in return for the release of IDF Corporal Gilad Shalit. The Israeli cabinet is expected to take a final decision on whether to free Palestinians with Israeli blood on their hands. IsraCast analyzes the various views on this painful issue that has been dominating the Israeli media.

Are new developments afoot in the Middle East? The 'to and fro' of international figures coupled with the Arab League's peace offer might be misleading. The IsraCast assessment is that Israeli foreign policy is so closely tied to the Bush administration that it has been put on hold until the Iranian nuclear crisis is resolved.

The Arab League convened in Riyadh, to approve the Saudi peace initiative that was first raised five years ago. Israel is now debating how to react to the Arab peace offer that comes with some serious strings attached. In any event, the IsraCast analysis is that Jerusalem is faced with the dilemma of how to advance the latest Arab peace initiative without officially accepting the Arab conditions for a total Israeli withdrawal and the so-called right of Palestinian refugees to return to Israel proper.

On the very day the Arab League was convening in Saudi Arabia to approve their peace plan, Palestinian terrorists launched seven more Qassam rockets at Israel. For the first time since last November, Israeli helicopters went into action to strike the rocket launchers. In the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, the new IDF Chief of Staff Gaby Ashkenazi that the Hamas military buildup in Gaza must be eliminated one way or another. IsraCast presents a detailed assessment of major changes being implemented by the new Chief of Staff in light of the Second Lebanon War.

Several European countries have indicated they will recognize Hamas cabinet ministers in the new Palestinian government. In Gaza, a senior Norwegian diplomat has met with Palestinian Prime Minister Ismail Haniyeh who has declared his support for 'resistance' - that is terrorism against Israel. Hamas also claimed responsibility for the shooting of an Israeli electricity worker who was repairing a power line that supplies electricity to the Gaza Strip. The Israeli was seriously wounded. In addition, more Qassam rockets have been fired into Israel from Gaza. In Jerusalem, IsraCast asked Deputy Premier Shimon Peres if there were now a danger that European countries will try and appease the Hamas government by selling out Israel, like Czechoslovakia to Nazi Germany in 1938?

The Israeli government has voted overwhelmingly to boycott the new Palestinian unity government. At its weekly cabinet session, 19 ministers voted against conducting a dialogue with the Hamas-lead cabinet. Only two ministers abstained in the vote. Prime Minister Ehud Olmert called on the international community to maintain its boycott of the Palestinian government until it accepts conditions set up the international Quartet; they call on the Palestinians to recognize Israel, halt terrorism and implement former agreements. In an interview with IsraCast, Dr. Dan Schueftan said the Palestinian unity government is a ploy to dress up Hamas as a legitimate partner while the terror organization continues to plot the destruction of Israel.

The security chief also reported on the growing strategic threat posed by Hamas and other groups in the Gaza Strip. Moreover, he issued a warning about tens of thousands of Israeli Arabs who are members of the Islamist Movement inside Israel. Knesset Member Effy Eitam of the National Union, a retired combat officer, told IsraCast that many MKs were alarmed by the revelations saying that Israel must take action against the looming threat from Gaza.

The Saudi Arabian peace proposal of several years ago is back in the limelight. When first presented, it called for the Arab world to make full peace with Israel in return for a total Israeli withdrawal to the 1967 borders. But a short time later, a Beirut summit meeting added the so-called right of return of Palestinian refugees to Israel. IsraCast examines various aspects of the plan that splits the Israeli political spectrum.

The eminent British historian Sir Martin Gilbert sees a direct connection between the Anti-Semitic campaign being waged by radical Islam including Hamas and that of Nazi Germany during the Holocaust. Visiting Jerusalem for the International Book Affair, Sir Martin was interviewed by Yaacov Achi-Meir on Channel One television. The author of more than seventy books, Gilbert is the official biographer of Sir Winston Churchill.

Foreign Minister Tzipi Livni says the current confrontation between Sunni and Shiite Muslims has superseded the Israeli- Palestinian conflict in at least seven Islamic states around the globe. In a briefing to the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee, Livni disclosed that Israel was telling foreign countries that the recent Mecca Agreement agreed by the Palestinians does not comply with the conditions of the so-called Quartet. A senior Israeli official also said that Muslim states may intervene in Iraq if total chaos follows a future U.S. withdrawal.

The Israeli intelligence establishment has presented its annual intelligence assessment to the cabinet for the coming year. While the Palestinians go through the motions of forming a national unity to halt the bloody internal feud between Hamas and Fatah and to con the international community into renewing financial aid, the gravest threats to Israel come from the north and north east.

A senior IDF intelligence officer has revealed that Hezbollah guerrillas in Lebanon are on their way to being stronger now than before last summer's war. Brig. Gen. Yossi Bidatz revealed some new facts and figures when he briefed the Knesset Foreign Affairs & Defense Committee. Also appearing at the hearing Defense Minister Amir Peretz Tried to play down the intelligence assessment. Meanwhile, in Jerusalem U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice chaired a three way summit with Israel's Prime Minister Ehud Olmert and Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas.

What are the prospects for the vaguely worded agreement hammered out by Hamas and Fatah in Mecca, Saudi Arabia? Shalom Harari, a senior reserve officer in the IDF Intelligence Corps and analyst at the Herzliya Counter - terrorism Center centre assesses various aspects of the accord aimed at ending the bloody Palestinian power struggle that has killed dozens of Palestinians in recent weeks. Interviewed by IsraCast, Harari also analyzes the possible impact of the Mecca Accord on Israel and the ongoing struggle between Radial Islam and established regimes in the Middle East.

Is Israel planning to evacuate the Negev town of Sderot which is located just across the border from the Gaza Strip? Defense Minister Amir Peretz categorically denied rumors that this is in the offing in light of the repeated Palestinian rocketing of the town. Meanwhile, a former defense minister, Moshe Arens says Israel will have no choice but to launch a major ground operation into Gaza to suppress the rocketing.

On a visit to Israel, a former CIA Director James Woolsey warned that Iran must not be allowed to acquire nuclear weapon and if need be a military operation should be mounted to prevent it. Interviewed on Channel One television Woolsey ruled out any possibility of a peace deal with the Palestinians as long as Hamas was in the government.